Water-in-oil explosive emulsions typically comprise a continuous organic phase and a discontinuous oxidizer phase containing water and an oxygen-supplying source such as ammonium nitrate, the oxidizer phase being dispersed throughout the continuous organic phase. Examples of such water-in-oil explosive emulsions are disclosed, inter alia, in U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,447,978; 3,765,964; 3,985,593; 4,008,110; 4,097,316; 4,104,092; 4,110,134; 4,149,916; 4,149,917; 4,218,272; 4,259,977; 4,357,184; 4,371,408; 4,391,659; 4,404,050; 4,409,044; 4,448,619; 4,453,989; and 4,534,809; U.K. Patent Application GB No. 2,050,340A; and European Application Publication Nos. 0,155,800 and 0,156,572; these patents and applications being incorporated herein by reference.
Melt-in-oil explosive emulsions (sometimes referred to in the art as melt-in-fuel explosive emulsions) are similar to water-in-oil explosive emulsions with the exception that the water in the discontinuous oxidizer phase has been eliminated or reduced to a low level (e.g., less than about 5% by weight of the total weight of the oxidizer phase). Examples of melt-in-oil explosive emulsions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,248,644; 4,548,659; and 4,552,597; and European Application Publication No. 0,155,800; said patents and application being incorporated herein by reference.
Formation of these water-in-oil and melt-in-oil explosive emulsions is generally effected in the presence of an emulsifier which is selected to promote subdivision of the droplets of the oxidizer phase and dispersion thereof in the continuous organic phase. While many of the emulsifiers described in the prior art are meritorious, none have provided emulsion stability characteristics that are entirely satisfactory. Additionally, with most emulsifiers used in the prior art, selection of the fuel or oil for the continuous organic phase is generally limited to highly-refined, highly paraffinic oils such as white oils.
Hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acylating agents having at least about 30 aliphatic carbon atoms in the substituent are known. Examples of such acylating agents include the polyisobutenyl-substituted succinic acids and anhydrides. The use of such carboxylic acylating agents as additives in normally liquid fuels and lubricants is disclosed in U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,288,714 and 3,346,354. These acylating agents are also useful as intermediates for preparing additives for use in normally liquid fuels and lubricants as described in U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,892,786; 3,087,936; 3,163,603; 3,172,892; 3,189,544; 3,215,707; 3,219,666; 3,231,587; 3,235,503; 3,272,746; 3,306,907; 3,306,908; 3,331,776; 3,341,542; 3,346,354; 3,374,174; 3,379,515; 3,381,022; 3,413,104; 3,450,715; 3,454,607; 3,455,728; 3,476,686; 3,513,095; 3,523,768; 3,630,904; 3,632,511; 3,697,428; 3,755,169; 3,804,763; 3,836,470; 3,862,981; 3,936,480; 3,948,909; 3,950,341; 4,234,435; and 4,471,091; and French Pat. No. 2,223,415; these patents being incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,936 describes nitrogen-containing dispersants for use in lubricants which are obtained by the reaction of an alkylene amine with an acidic mixture consisting of a hydrocarbon-substituted succinic acid having at least about 50 aliphatic carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon substituent and an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid. The aliphatic monocarboxylic acids are described as including saturated and unsaturated acids such as acetic acid, dodecanoic acid, oleic acid, naphthenic acid, formic acid, etc. Acids having 12 or more aliphatic carbon atoms, particularly stearic acid and oleic acid, are described as being especially useful.
British Pat. No. 1,162,436 describes ashless dispersant compositions which are useful in lubricating compositions and fuels. The dispersant compositions are prepared by reacting certain specified alkenyl substituted succinimides or succinic amides with a hydrocarbon-substituted succinic acid or anhydride.
U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,639,242 and 3,708,522 describe compositions prepared by post-treating mono- and polycarboxylic acid esters with mono- or polycarboxylic acid acylating agents. The compositions thus obtained are reported to be useful as dispersants in lubricants and fuels.